An Australian wildlife-themed chess set handcrafted in Nelson Bay is the major prize of Port Stephens Community Woodworkers' major fund-raising raffle this year.
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A team of eight woodworkers from the Port Stephens Community Arts Centre-based club pitched in to create the chessboard table and its pieces, which is valued at $5000.
The woodworkers' president, Roger Delaney, said the club decided on a "more ambitious project" for its fund-raiser this year, opting to construct the hand carved chess set.
"The idea was put to a general meeting and the membership decided to get behind this major project, which has taken six months to complete," he said.
"The project was a real team effort by the club.
"Chris Sturt carved the major pieces, Rod Howard carved the wombat pawns, Bob Parrish built the table and removeable chess board, Ken Richards carved the side and drawer panels, Vince Rush turned the bases, Graham Miller pressed the weights inside the bases (to give each piece a similar weight) and Geoff McLelland did the lacquering. Ken Richards has fully documented it."
The kangaroo chess pieces are kings, the kangaroos with joeys queens, koalas are bishops, Tasmanian Devils the knights, possums are rooks and wombats pawns.
The light chess pieces are made of jacaranda and the dark pieces are made of rosewood.
Other woods used in the making of the chess set include red cedar and bunya pine for the board squares and silky oak and Tasmanian oak for the box frame and legs.
The chess set also includes a table with carved side panels of Australian animals (sugar glider, echidna, frill necked lizard, bilby, brush tailed possum and spotted quoll), two drawers with carved fronts for storage of the chess pieces.
The chessboard top is removable and has a lined storage area underneath.
The woodworkers hold a fund-raiser during spring each year to raise money in support of the community.
"The funds raised are used to further this work, to help other not-for-profit organisations with woodwork projects and to buy and maintain woodworking equipment and supplies," Mr Delaney said.
"As a charity, the club also provides relief from social isolation for older men and women of the community and members then give back through these and other community activities."
The club usually raffles a rocking horse made by members which Mr Delaney said "have proved very popular over the years".
Last year, however, the club made a wheelbarrow suitable for use as a planter box, complete with plants.
Pre-COVID, fund-raising was done by selling tickets in shopping centres but "COVID has stopped this in its tracks", Mr Delaney said.
This year the club has turned to the web and is hosting an online raffle through Raffelink for its chess set and other handcrafted items.
The raffle closes on January 23, 2022 and will be drawn on January 26, 2022.
To see the other prizes and to purchase tickets go to rafflelink.com.au/pscwchesssetraffle.
- Port Stephens Community Woodworkers is registered charity that supports extra-curricular activities in primary schools, aged care homes, disability centres, and disadvantaged schools. Members make up kits such as bird feeders, nesting boxes, bee hotels and barbecue caddies and then visit these locations, where they help children and other participants assemble these pre-made kits.
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